Hodgkin , Thomas , 1798-1866 , physician and philanthropist

Thomas Hodgkin was born in London in 1798, the son of John Hodgkin (1766-1845), a private tutor. The family were strong Quakers and originated in Warwickshire. He trained in medicine at Edinburgh University, taking his MD in 1823. After travels in Europe he became Curator of the Medical Museum and Inspector of the Dead at Guy's Hospital, London. His pathological work led him to the first description of what is now known as Hodgkin's Disease in his honour. He left Guy's Hospital following his failure, in 1837, to be appointed Assistant Physician and after a short period at St Thomas's Hospital devoted himself to private practice and to his other interests. He had a keen interest in the world beyond Europe and in particular in the societies there that were threatened with cultural extinction by the spread of European commercial, political or cultural dominion; his works in this area included playing a moving role in the foundation and functioning of the Aborigines Protection Society. In 1850 he married Sarah Frances Scaife, a widow, from Nottingham. The couple had no children of their own but there were two sons from her first marriage. He died in 1866 at Jaffa while on a journey with his friend Sir Moses Montefiore (1784-1885) to negotiate for better treatment for Jewish residents in Palestine.